1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the evisceration of marine mollusks such as clams wherein the "belly" of the clam is removed from the remaining clam meat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The "belly" or viscera-containing portion of marine mollusks such as clams is conventionally removed from shucked clam bodies prior to the utilization of this specie in the preparation of food products. The belly portion is not only undesirable from a taste standpoint but also causes discoloration of the remaining meat during processing. In most commercial operations the debellying step traditionally has been carried out by hand. This is an expensive and time consuming process. More recently, there have been a number of attempts to develop apparatus for the mechanical debellying of clams.
One example of such an attempt at mechanical debellying is shown in Carlson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,344. In Carlson, whole clams are propelled by fluid stream against an impact surface whereby the impact allegedly results in separation of the belly from the remainder of the clam meat. The violent impact of the Carlson apparatus, however, is not particularly efficient and results in unnecessary structural damage to the remaining clam meat.
Debellying by subjecting clam meat slurries to lengthy agitation processes is disclosed in Finley, U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,315, Finley, U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,746, and Snow, U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,131. These agitation methods, however, are time consuming and require complicated and expensive equipment.
The problems of the prior art are accentuated by the present necessity of utilizing ocean quahog clams for food products. This previously unused species has a thick belly membrane surrounding the viscera which mades the debellying operation more difficult.
Thus, it would be of great value to the clam industry to provide a method and apparatus for the debellying of clams, including ocean quahogs, which was rapid and highly efficient and which employed relatively simple apparatus with few moving parts.